In June 2025, Japanese defense officials tracked both carriers conducting exercises east of Iwo Jima, about 1,200 kilometers south of Tokyo and roughly equidistant from the strategic U.S. base in Guam. The carriers were accompanied by an array of escorts, and their forces executed over 1,000 aircraft takeoffs and landings over the course of weeks, a much higher tempo than previously seen.
While the Liaoning sailed close to Japan’s exclusive economic zone near isolated islands such as Minamitorishima, both carriers remained in international waters. For Tokyo and Washington, this marked a clear effort by Beijing to test boundaries and assert operational capabilities well beyond China’s immediate periphery.
“This is the first time China has demonstrated its ability to operate two carriers simultaneously beyond the first island chain,” said Christopher Sharman, China Maritime Studies Institute Director at the U.S. Naval War College. “It’s a glimpse into their ambitions for a blue-water navy.”
A strategic power play
Military analysts and regional observers interpret the Chinese maneuvers as a calculated message. While the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has previously conducted drills near Taiwan and within the South China Sea, operating two carriers so far from the mainland demonstrates both growing confidence and capability.
Narushige Michishita, a strategist at Japan’s National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, warned of the implications for Taiwan:
“Chinese aircraft carriers could be key in enforcing a blockade on Taiwan or deterring foreign intervention. These vessels are not just status symbols—they’re instruments of coercion.”
The fact that these drills occurred near Guam, a linchpin U.S. military hub, and Iwo Jima—where Japan and the U.S. fought a pivotal WWII battle—only adds to the symbolism.
Naval might
When compared numerically, China’s carrier fleet still lags behind the United States. However, the progress is palpable, and narrowing the capability gap remains a clear focus for Beijing.
As of 2025, China operates three aircraft carriers: Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian. The Chinese carriers are mainly diesel-powered, although the newest ship, Fujian, features the advanced Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS).
The United States deploys a fleet of 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, including the renowned Nimitz and Ford classes. When it comes to onboard aircraft capacity, Chinese carriers like the Shandong can accommodate up to 36 aircraft, while American carriers can launch and recover more than 60 aircraft each. In terms of operational experience, China has accumulated over a decade of carrier operations, whereas the United States boasts more than 70 years of expertise in operating these powerful naval assets.
China’s newest carrier, the Fujian, is undergoing sea trials and is expected to join the fleet by late 2025. It represents China’s leap toward modern aviation capabilities, featuring electromagnetic catapults (EMALS)—a tech the U.S. only recently deployed on its Ford-class carriers.
Dangerously close encounters
Amid the dual-carrier drills, Japanese defense officials raised concerns over airspace violations. Chinese fighters flew provocative maneuvers near Japanese reconnaissance aircraft. In multiple instances, these intercepts came within dangerously close range. Japan’s Defense Minister Minoru Kihara emphasized,
“China’s actions are escalating the security situation in the Indo-Pacific. We view these exercises as part of a larger pattern of coercion.”
As a response, Japan has been bolstering its coastal defenses, expanding military bases on remote islands, and integrating more closely with U.S. forces under its revised national defense strategy.
Washington on alert
The United States, whose Indo-Pacific Command oversees military operations spanning Japan, Guam, the Philippines, and beyond, is closely watching these developments. The Pentagon emphasized that this marks a growing shift in China’s global military outlook.
The US Navy, while maintaining superior aircraft carrier tech and global logistics, must now contend with a Chinese navy that is both growing and increasingly active in contested maritime zones.
What this means for the region
The drills are not just about hardware or pilot training—they signal China’s vision for itself on the world stage. Global military planners have long watched China’s carrier program as a benchmark of how far it wants to go. Now, the message is clear: Beijing intends to rival—even challenge—the free operations of U.S. and allied forces in the Pacific.
“Politically, aircraft carriers are the ultimate status symbols,” says Timothy Heath, senior international defense researcher at RAND Corporation. “China’s leadership values them as tools of prestige, deterrence, and regional dominance.”
For Japan, the U.S., and other Indo-Pacific democracies, the clock is ticking to ensure their strategic advantage holds.
